I’m just waiting … Rolling Stones fans in the 1970s

June 13, 1972: Four of the coolest-looking Rolling Stones fans on the planet wait in front of the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, a month after the release of "Exile on Main Street." The Stones played four shows over two days -- selling out 20,000 tickets in about an hour. less

June 13, 1972: Four of the coolest-looking Rolling Stones fans on the planet wait in front of the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, a month after the release of "Exile on Main Street." The Stones played ... more

Photo: Dave Randolph / The Chronicle

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June 13, 1972: More fans at the Winterland Ballroom, apparently keeping themselves warm with the carcass of a polar bear. (Either that or a Wampa.) These two guys seem to be sharing a deep moment. Their 2013 counterparts would be ignoring each other and playing Fruit Ninja on their iPhones. less

June 13, 1972: More fans at the Winterland Ballroom, apparently keeping themselves warm with the carcass of a polar bear. (Either that or a Wampa.) These two guys seem to be sharing a deep moment. Their 2013 ... more

Photo: Dave Randolph / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: Fans wait in line for the Rolling Stones concert at the Cow Palace -- their first tour in the Americas since 1972. It was first come first serve, so fans lined up more than a day in advance. I'm assuming cattle fencing was used to give the scene a "Bonanza" vibe. less

July 15, 1975: Fans wait in line for the Rolling Stones concert at the Cow Palace -- their first tour in the Americas since 1972. It was first come first serve, so fans lined up more than a day in advance. I'm ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: Rain poured on the fans, some of whom came prepared while others made due with makeshift shelter. The stage show didn't disappoint. Among the gimmicks reported in the Chronicle was a confetti-spewing snake and 30-foot tall white phallus that was inflated on stage. less

July 15, 1975: Rain poured on the fans, some of whom came prepared while others made due with makeshift shelter. The stage show didn't disappoint. Among the gimmicks reported in the Chronicle was a ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: Stones fans were resourceful -- the two on the left look like they're huddled in a hotel blanket. It looked hopelessly overcast, but woman in the middle is still rocking her giant "Almost Famous" sunglasses. I'm so pissed I was born too late to see this concert. less

July 15, 1975: Stones fans were resourceful -- the two on the left look like they're huddled in a hotel blanket. It looked hopelessly overcast, but woman in the middle is still rocking her giant "Almost ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: This girl is overdressed, so I'm assuming she told her parents she was studying at the library, and took a wrong turn in Daly City. This was in the pre-merchandise days, so fans had to make their own Stones gear. Note the handmade "lips" patch half-hidden by her sweater. less

July 15, 1975: This girl is overdressed, so I'm assuming she told her parents she was studying at the library, and took a wrong turn in Daly City. This was in the pre-merchandise days, so fans had to make ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: You can try, but you won't ever find a photo that screams "1975!" more than this. A dude waiting in line for a Stones concert, while reading a magazine article about the movie "Jaws." Let's just assume he ran home to catch a rerun of "The Rockford Files" on TV. less

July 15, 1975: You can try, but you won't ever find a photo that screams "1975!" more than this. A dude waiting in line for a Stones concert, while reading a magazine article about the movie "Jaws." Let's just ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: I didn't go to the Cow Palace to see my first concert until 1985 (Van Hagar!) but the scene was the same. I bet these guys would give anything to be back under that tarp with a bottle of Jack Daniels, transistor radio and Coors in a pull-top can. less

July 15, 1975: I didn't go to the Cow Palace to see my first concert until 1985 (Van Hagar!) but the scene was the same. I bet these guys would give anything to be back under that tarp with a bottle of Jack ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: This is my new hero. Everyone else is freezing their asses off, and he's playing frisbee in gym shorts. If you know this half-naked guy (or the hot librarian with the lips patch), please have them contact me at phartlaub@sfchronicle.com. I'd love an interview. less

July 15, 1975: This is my new hero. Everyone else is freezing their asses off, and he's playing frisbee in gym shorts. If you know this half-naked guy (or the hot librarian with the lips patch), please have ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 15, 1975: More sports going on in the freezing cold parking lot of the Rolling Stone show at the Cow Palace. Bonus points for fielding a whole team. And more bonus points for using a crushed Coors 12-pack box as home plate. Just like Honus Wagner's did during the dead ball era ... less

July 15, 1975: More sports going on in the freezing cold parking lot of the Rolling Stone show at the Cow Palace. Bonus points for fielding a whole team. And more bonus points for using a crushed Coors 12-pack ... more

Photo: Bill Young / The Chronicle

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July 25, 1978: The Oakland Coliseum sign advertising Day on the Green 4 is updated. The Rolling Stones played here on Mick Jagger's 34th birthday. Also advertised, Andy Gibb, and the Oakland Stompers during their single year in the North American Soccer League. less

July 25, 1978: The Oakland Coliseum sign advertising Day on the Green 4 is updated. The Rolling Stones played here on Mick Jagger's 34th birthday. Also advertised, Andy Gibb, and the Oakland Stompers during ... more

Photo: Gary Fong / The Chronicle

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July 25, 1978: Rolling Stones fans camping out on a pedestrian bridge near the Oakland Coliseum, on the night before Day on the Green 4. Again, it's weird seeing the lack of texting, smart phones and iPads. These girls must have actually known something about each other's lives. less

July 25, 1978: Rolling Stones fans camping out on a pedestrian bridge near the Oakland Coliseum, on the night before Day on the Green 4. Again, it's weird seeing the lack of texting, smart phones and iPads. ... more

Photo: Gary Fong / The Chronicle

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July 25, 1978: More Rolling Stones fans on the pedestrian bridge. Handlebar mustache dude with the two ladies is cool. But my favorite is stoned-looking sunglasses-at-night guy on the far left. Concert-goers started lining up in front of the stadium on Saturday night for a Tuesday concert. less

July 25, 1978: More Rolling Stones fans on the pedestrian bridge. Handlebar mustache dude with the two ladies is cool. But my favorite is stoned-looking sunglasses-at-night guy on the far left. Concert-goers ... more

Photo: Gary Fong / The Chronicle

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July 26, 1978: A hand-made Rolling Stones bed sheet sign at the Oakland Coliseum concert. The marijuana leaf and tennis shoe used as ballast are excellent, although Mick Taylor hadn't been in the band for three years at this point. See the post for a larger version of this photo. less

July 26, 1978: A hand-made Rolling Stones bed sheet sign at the Oakland Coliseum concert. The marijuana leaf and tennis shoe used as ballast are excellent, although Mick Taylor hadn't been in the band for ... more

Photo: Terry Schmitt / The Chronicle

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July 26, 1978: A view from the cheap seats at Day on the Green 4. I think it's weird that throughout most of their recording career, none of the Rolling Stones wore a mustache. But about 80 percent of their male fans had them. The Chronicle article reported much pot smoking at this concert. less

July 26, 1978: A view from the cheap seats at Day on the Green 4. I think it's weird that throughout most of their recording career, none of the Rolling Stones wore a mustache. But about 80 percent of their ... more

Photo: Terry Schmitt / The Chronicle

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July 26, 1978: Either this is a father/son duo seeing the Stones, or the guy on the left is from the future, and jumped back 35 years to watch this concert with himself. If so, he should bring that sweet 1977 Le Mans T-shirt back to the 2013. It's worth at least $250 now on eBay. less

July 26, 1978: Either this is a father/son duo seeing the Stones, or the guy on the left is from the future, and jumped back 35 years to watch this concert with himself. If so, he should bring that sweet 1977 ... more

Photo: Terry Schmitt / The Chronicle

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July 26, 1978: The Rolling Stones play at the Oakland Coliseum at Day on the Green 4, which was also Mick Jagger's birthday. The Chronicle headline made reference to the band's age -- "Mick Jagger at 34" -- like they might drop dead any minute. Thirty-five years later, still going strong ... less

July 26, 1978: The Rolling Stones play at the Oakland Coliseum at Day on the Green 4, which was also Mick Jagger's birthday. The Chronicle headline made reference to the band's age -- "Mick Jagger at 34" -- ... more

Photo: Terry Schmitt / The Chronicle

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July 26, 1978: The Rolling Stones, minus Charlie Watts who didn't make it in this shot. Tickets were an astonishingly low $12.50, considering Santana, Eddie Money and Peter Tosh also played -- and a high wire walker performed. (That was up from $8 for the Cow Palace show.) less

July 26, 1978: The Rolling Stones, minus Charlie Watts who didn't make it in this shot. Tickets were an astonishingly low $12.50, considering Santana, Eddie Money and Peter Tosh also played -- and a high wire ... more

Photo: Terry Schmitt / The Chronicle

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June 13, 1972: One more photo of the guys in front of the Winterland Ballroom in 1972. I included this for a better view of the cop who was hanging out in front of the venue. That's the Kabuki theater on the right in the distance -- San Francisco's first multiplex movie house. less

June 13, 1972: One more photo of the guys in front of the Winterland Ballroom in 1972. I included this for a better view of the cop who was hanging out in front of the venue. That's the Kabuki theater on the ... more

Photo: Dave Randolph / The Chronicle

I'm just waiting ... Rolling Stones fans in the 1970s

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While the Chronicle photo morgue is amazing beyond my wildest dreams, there are some blind spots in our archives. At some point in the last 30 years or so, somebody pilfered many of the Chronicle’s highest-profile concert photos. Among the missing are The Beatles at the Cow Palace and Candlestick, and everything from before 1978 involving The Rolling Stones.

I will exact revenge in the near future — I know a guy with “The Dead Zone” powers. (Or just send them back, no questions asked.) In the meantime, the offending parties did leave behind some Let’s Go to the Morgue! gold: Photos of fans waiting in line for Stones concerts at Winterland in 1972, Candlestick Park in 1975 and the Oakland Coliseum in 1978.

With the band returning to the Bay Area for its “50 and Counting” tour this Sunday and Wednesday, this is a tribute to the brave 1970s concert-goers who suffered for their Stones. It was in the era of general admission, where waiting overnight on a pedestrian bridge could translate into amazing seats. And wait they did …

Mick Taylor left the band in 1974 and the concert was in 1978. Other than that, this Day on the Green 4 scene is perfect. Tennis shoes used as ballast FTW!

Fans who waited a day or more in line before entering the Oakland Coliseum were treated to … a long wait. After opening acts Eddie Money, Peter Tosh and Santana performed, the Stones took their time getting to the stage.

From Joel Selvin’s review, which said the band performed “a pedestrian run-through of not particularly outstanding songs” from the Stones’ recent past: “The crowd sat still during a more than two-hour break that preceded the set by the Stones, who are well-known for their love of dramatic entrances — even if it involves as low a stunt as making the audience wait an extra 90 minutes for the grand moment.”

(Chronicle archives 1972)

A Chronicle article that ran after the first two of four 1972 concerts.

The Chronicle had a big story about the ticket sales a couple of months earlier — it was the first time testing a more automated system, which failed miserably. This 1972 concert is the San Francisco-based Rolling Stones show I think I’d like to see the most — both for the venue and the timing. This was just a month after “Exile on Main Street” came out. And I never got to see the inside of Winterland before it was demolished in the 1980s.

(Bill Young/Chronicle 1975)

I included this mostly because of the Rolling Pin Donuts box on the bottom left. I’m pretty sure my friend Eric’s dad owned that empire. These kids seem really young — not just because of their looks but also because of the weird variety of booze they’ve consumed. It looks suspiciously like it was slowly pilfered from mom and dad’s liquor cabinet.

Also wondering what’s in that binder on the left. Math homework? Set lists from every Stones concert since 1965? A drug ledger? God, I love the 1970s …

If you see anyone you know prominently featured in these photos (wish list: Frisbee guy, Winterland hippies and hot girl with umbrella at Cow Palace), please have them contact me at phartlaub@sfchronicle.com. I might want an interview for my Let’s Go to the Q&A project.

PETER HARTLAUB is the pop culture critic at the San Francisco Chronicle and founder/editor of The Big Event. He takes requests. Contact him at phartlaub@sfchronicle.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeterHartlaub. Follow The Big Event on Facebook.